Wright C, Bigelow G E, Stitzer M L, Liebson I A
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 1991 Mar;27(2):139-48. doi: 10.1016/0376-8716(91)90033-u.
This paper reports the intensity and duration of acute physical dependence precipitated by naloxone administration following a single pre-treatment with the opioid against methadone (30 mg/70 kg, i.m.) in six non-dependent human volunteers with histories of prior opioid abuse. In a within-subject cross-over design, challenges of the antagonist naloxone (0.5-1.0 mg, i.m.) were administered at 6, 30 and 54 h, or at only 54 h after methadone pre-treatment. Acute physical dependence, as indicated by physiologic, subjective, and observer rated withdrawal, was seen in all subjects following active naloxone administration, was of nearly uniform intensity for a period of 6-54 h after acute methadone administration, and was not attenuated by prior naloxone administration.
